Filtering system and apparatus therefor



June 1, 1965 D. E. BEDUHN 3,186,550

FILTERING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Jan. 12, 1961 5Sheets-Sheet l M ..\3 Iummum INVENTOR.

flarzz'ei if Bedaim B HT k/VEY June 1, 1965 D. E. BEDUHN FILTERINGSYSTEM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR m E 2 m t e T m e N an 5 a n. m h l M S 3m v. 4 B 1 6 9 1 2 l m a J d e l 1 F June 1, 1965 D. E. BEDUHN FILTERINGSYSTEM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 12, 1961 I H MUnited States Patent 3,186,556 FHLTERING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS THEREFGRDaniel E. Beduhn, Manitowoc, Wis, assignor to Mauitowoc EngineeringCorporation, Manitowoc, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Jan. 12,1961, Ser. No. 82,310 7 Claims. (Ci. nth-169) This invention relates tosystems and apparatus for filtering a fiuid, and more particularlyrelates to a system and improved apparatus for filtering and skimmingwater of a swimming pool and for vacuuming the swimming pool.

It has long been desired to provide a filtering system and apparatus forresidential swimming pools which is inexpensive in manufacture,installation and upkeep; economical in operation and maintenance;compact and easily installed either as a portable or permanentinstallation, and reliable, practical, simple, ellective, durable andefficient in operation.

In heretofore known conventional type filtering systems and apparatusfor residential type swimming pools it is generally required that theapparatus of the filtering system be permanently installed and in mostinstances much of the apparatus is underground, somewhat elaborate andcomplicated which results in an installation that i expensive tomanufacture and install since these installations normally require thatmanholes be dug, underwater drains provided, valves, gauges, steel tanksand the like, be employed to assure the proper operation thereof.

Also, in the known, more conventional type of filtering systems andapparatus it is necessary that some type of filtering additive or powderthe used; require that tedious back washing and messy flushingoperations be employed, and large water losses and pressure problemsoccur which make the operation, maintenance and upkeep of suchinstallations complicated, unreliable and expensive.

Also, the known conventional types of filtering systems usually employapparatus which is rather complex from the operational standpoint andwhich includes somewhat complicated and elaborate plumbing installationsthat normally require that the residence owner or pool user be subjectedto an educational program in order to be able to understand and operatethe filtering system and the apparatus which is employed therein.

It is the primary object of thi invention to provide a filtering systemand apparatus for residential swimming pools which is economical'tomanufacture; inexpensive to install, maintain, and operate; compact andeasily installed either as a portable or permanent installation, and issimple, durable, reliable, practical, effective and efi icient inoperation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a ystem and apparatusfor filtering and skimming water of a swimming pool and for vacuumingthe pool while in a substantially water-filled condition.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a filteringsystem for swimming pools and the like which overcomes the above stateddisadvantages while having the advantages wherein the apparatus of thefiltering system includes a skimmer unit; a filter unit; a pump unit; avacuum unit; a flexible conduit placing the intake side of the pump unitin communication with the filter unit in a manner which causes water inthe swimming pool to first pass through the skimmer unit, to the filterunit and then to the intake side of the pump, and a conduit incommunication with the discharge side of the pump for returning thefiltered and skimmed Water back to the swimming pool with the vacuumunit being operatively associ- "ice ated with the other units andconduits to enable the swimming pool to be vacuumed while in asubstantially waterfilled condition.

An additional object of this invention relates to a skimmer unit forskimming liquids wherein the skimmer unit is provided with a liquid gatestructure which is self adjusting to varying liquid levels of a liquidwhich is being skimmed.

A further additional object of this invention relates to a skimmer unitfor skimming liquids wherein the skimmer unit automatically etlects ahigh velocity current flow on the surface of the liquid being skimmed.

it is also an additional object of this invention to provide a skimmerunit for skimming liquids wherein the skimmer unit skims in a Zone whichis only near the liquid level where undesirable matter normally hangssuspended and does not waste effort and decrease efiiciency by affectingthe deeper liquid levels where the liquid is usually free and clear ofsuch undesirable matter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a filter unit forfiltering liquid through a filter medium wherein the filter medium ispaper.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a filter unit whereinthe filter medium for filtering impurities from a liquid is removablyand replaceably supported within the filtering zone of the filteringunit by a resilient cage-like member.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a vacuum unit forvacuuming swimming pools and the like wherein the vacuum unit isoperable to vacuum the swimming pool without necessitating the removalof any substantial amount of Water which may be contained therein.

It is a further another object of this invention to provide a vacuumunit for vacuuming swimming pools wherein the swimming pool may bevacuumed without requiring the removal of the Water normally containedtherein with a part of the water of the swimming pool being employed asa carrier for conveying the particles which have been vacuumed from theswimming pool.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a skimmer-filterdevice which may be removably secured to a swimming pool installation atthe water level therein or effectively floated on the surface of thewater in the swimming pool wherein, in either type of installation, theskimmer-filter device is effective to skim and filter the watercontained within the confines of the swimming pool.

It is also a further object of this invention to provide askimmer-filter device which includes a skimmer unit having an openingtherein and a gate movably mounted in the opening for skimmingundesirable matter from the swimming pool water and a filter unit havinga removable and replaceable filter medium of paper for filteringimpurities from the swimming pool water.

It is also a still further object of this invention to provide askimmer-filter device for swimming pools which includes a skimmer unitand a filter unit separably supported by the skimmer unit wherein theskimmer unit is provided with a housing having an opening therein, agate that defines a skimming edge positioned in the opening at the waterlevel of the swimming pool and a portion of the housing for collectingthe impurities which have been filtered from the water of the swimmingpool, and the filter unit is separably supported within the confines ofthe housing and disposed therein above the impurities collector portionof the housing with the filter unit extending below the water level ofthe swimming pool.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a skimmer-filterdevice for swimming pools comprising a skimmer unit including a housinghaving an opening therein and a gate structure disposed in the openingfor skimming the water of the swimming pool, and a filter unit thatincludes a removable and replaceable filter me- V 1tering and skimming aliquidlZ, 8110114215 water, which dium for filtering the water of theswimming pool with I i filter-vacuum device for swimming pools and thelike' wherein the water contained therein may be filtered while theswimming pool is being vacuumed.

Another important object of this invention relates to a filter-vacuumdevice for swimming pools wherein a part of the water of the swimmingpool is employed as'the conveying agent for removing the particles whichhave been vacuumed from the swimming pool with the particles and otherimpurities being filtered therefrom and the water that defines theconveying agent is returned into the swirnming pool.

An additional important object of this invention relates to askimmer-filter-vacuum apparatus for swimming pools which includes. askimmer unit provided with an openinghaving a gate mounted therein forskimming the swimming pool water, a filter unit having a removable andreplaceable' paper filter medium for filtering the swimming pool waterand a vacuum unit for vacuuming the swimming pool while'the waterremains therein.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be'apparentfrom a study of the following specification which when taken with thedrawing together show, 7

illustrate, describe and disclose a preferred embodiment of theinvention together with a modification thereof, and

what is now considered to be the best mode of practicing the principlesof the invention. Still. other or additional embodiments ormodifications may be suggested to those having the benefit of theteachings, and such other and additional embodiments or modificationsare intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope andspirit of the subjoined claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary pictorial view of a filtering system installedbeside a swimming pool with the appara-- tus thereof having theimprovements according to the present invention embodied therein;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged isometric view of the skim mer-filter-vacuumapparatus of the filtering system as illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view of thepreferred embodiment of the apparatus illustrated' in FIG. 2 as takenalong the line 33 therein looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken along the line4-4- of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustratingthe apparatus shown therein;

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of the filter-vacuum device with certainportions thereof being broken away t better illustrate same, and 7FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of the resilient Wire cage-like memberemployed for removably and replace-t ably supporting the filter mediumwithin the filter unit of the apparatus. 7

Attention is now directed to FIG. 1 of the drawing wherein there isillustrated a fiitering system jitl for filis retained and confined in acontainer or receiver such as a swimming pool 14, ofthe type normallyinstalledflat a vacuum unit 28; a pump device 34 illustrated as anelectrical pump device having .a .standard'type plug-in outletconnection 32-; a first conduit 34, preferably fiexible, for placing theskimmer-filter-vacuum apparatus 18 in communication with the intake sideof the pump device 39, and a second conduit 36 for placing the dischargeside of the pump device 39 in communication with the water-12'which isnormally retained within the confines of the swimming pool 14' so thatthere is in effect a closed skimmer-filter-vacuum circuit defined by theapparatus 18 of the system 18.

In operation, the filtering-system 10, when employed to skim and filterthe water 12 ofthe swimming pool 14-, the pump device will effectivelyforce or'induce the water 12 to flow through a skimming zone at theskimmer unit 22 whereat undesirable particles will be skimmed from thewater 12 at the water level is, with the water 12 then flowing through afiltering zone at the filter unit 24 whereat' the impurities containedin the water 12 will beremoved therefrom and thereafter the skimmed andfiltered water 12 will be returned to the swimming pool 14 through theconduit 34, pump device 39 and the conduit 36.

When it is desired to filter andlvacuum the swimming pool 14 withoutrequiring that any substantial part of the water 12 be removed therefromor without requiringrthat the water level 16. be substantially lowered,the filtervacuum device 26 is separated from the skimmer unit 22 andemployed to remove particles fromthe swimming pool 14 with a part of thewater 1'2 being employed as a conveying agent, through theinfiuence ofthe pump device 39, to convey the particles from the vacuuming zone atthe V vacuum unit 28 into the filtering zone at the filter unit 24whereat the particles and the impurities beingjcarried by the water 12are removed with the water 12 then passing through. the conduit 34, thepump device 38 and the corn duit 36 back to the swimming pool 14.

Attention is now directed to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing whereinthere is illustrated, in more detail, the skimmer-filter-vacuumapparatus 18. It is to be noted a that the skimmer unit 22 of theapparatus 12; includes a housing. 38* substantially ofrectangularconfiguration and definedby atop portion ii), a bottomportion 42, side portions 44-44, a' front portion 46 and a back portion48.

In the preferred embodiment of the skimmer-filtervacuum apparatus 18,the bottom portion 42, the front portion 46 and the back portion 48 ofthe housing $8 are formed from a single integral sheet of material, suchas anticorrosive metal, plastic, or the like, that is bent intosubstantiallyf a J-shape with the front portion 46 being the shorter legofthe J. and; terminating in an edge portion S0. The side portions 4444are also formed from like material which may be any suitableanticorrosiye metal,

. plastic, or the like and are reinforced and joined to the back portion4,'the bottom portion 42 and the 'front portion as of the housing Eli-bystiitner strips 52 which are curved laterally to. define rounded corners54 with the residence,;at a water level 16 with'the filtering system It)1 also being operable to vacuum the swimming pool 14 without requiringthat any substantial amount of the waters -12 be removed so that-thewater levelld maybe mains tained duringthe vacuuming operation at thedesired level. a

The filtering'system It} includes a skimmerfilter-,vacu-.

-um'apparatus 18 having a skimmer-filter device Ztiwhich j is providedwith a skimmer unit 22 anda filter unit '24 that is sep arably supportedwithin the skimmer unit t which defines a skimming edge'p ortionfoverwhich the" water llZflows through the opening fill int'o'the confines ofstrips 52 extending along the front of the housing ES and terminatinginside edges 56-56; which arespaced apart and which define with the edgeportion 50 and an-edge 58 of the top portion '49 an opening 69 in thefrontportion'd of the housing 3%. H 1

A floating liquid gate structure 62 is disposed in the opening tillofthe front portiontd. of 'the housing 33 and the gate structure '62 istermed from suitable flexible material, such as any anticorrosive metal,plastic, or the like; which enables the gate structure e2'to' be'movably mounted, as illustrated .by phantom. lines in FIG: 3 of the 7drawing, within the opening dd-sothat the gate structure ".ez is selfadjusting to varying water levels 16 and floats in the water 12 with anupper edge portion 66 thereof being'in spaced relationshipto the edge 58in "a' manner the housing '33 with theiskimmer'edgetportion 66automatically effecting a high velocity current flow on the surface ofthe water 12 during the skimming operation. Any suitable wedge orlocking mechanism 64, such as the bolt-nut structure, as illustrated,may be employed to secure the gate structure 62 to the housing 38. Sincethe gate structure 62 is bodily flexible and floatably movably mountedto the housing 38 with the skimmer edge portion 66 being self adjustingto varying water levels 16 the skimmer unit 22 is eflective to skim onlyin a skimmer zone which is near the water level 16 where undesirablematter is normally present and hangs suspended in the water 12 and thereis no waste of effort or any decrease in the efficiency of the skimmingoperation since the skimmer unit 22 does not affect the deeper waterlevels where the water 12 will normally be free and clear of suchundesirable matter.

The floating liquid gate structure 62 is provided with a plurality ofsealed compartments 68 which impart sulficient buoyancy to the gatestructure 52 to enable the gate structure to be effectively buoyantlyfloatably supported in the water 12 at the water level 16 thereof, andif necessary the sealed compartments 63 of the gate structure 62 may beincreased or decreased in capacity to vary the buoyant effect thereof inaccordance with the requirements of the system.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 2and 3 of the drawing, there is provided adjustable support structure 7%which removably or releaseably secures the housing 38 to a side wall orapron 72 of the swimming pool 14 so that the floating liquid gatestructure 62 will be positioned relative to the water level 16 asdescribed above.

However, it may be desirable that the skimmer-filtervacuum apparatus 13be floated at the water level 16 in the water 12 of the swimming pool 14in order to increase the effective skimming operation of the skimmerunit 22 of the apparatus 18. In order to float the apparatus 18 it isonly necessary that the apparatus 18 be removed and separated from thewall or apron 72 of the swimming pool 1 and in this embodiment ormodification of the invention, not illustrated, an additional fioatstructure is employed in place of the support structure whicheffectively floats the skimmer-filter-vacuum apparatus 18 in the waterI2 with the sealed compartments 68 of the gate structure 62 beingeffective to dispose the skimmer edge portion 66 adjacent to the waterlevel 16.

The top portion 40 of the housing 38 is provided with an opening 74 intowhich there is disposed the filter-vac uum device 26 with thefilter-vacuum device 26 being separably and removably supported thereinand resting on brackets 76 which are secured to the back portion 48 andside portions 4444 of the housing 38. It is to be expressly noted thatthe filter-vacuum device 26 is separably and removably nested within theconfines of the housing 38 and by reason of the brackets '76 thefiltervacuum device may be easily removed from within the housing 38 forreasons to be more fully described and disclosed hereinafter.

The filter-vacuum device 26 comprises the filter unit 24 and the vacuumunit 28 which are secured together by suitable structure '78, such asscrews, bolts or the like. The filter unit 24 includes a shell 80 formedfrom any suitable material such as a non-corrosive metal or plasticmaterial with the shell 8t) being of sachel-like configuration, i.e., aninverted U shape in transverse section as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and ofthe drawing, defined by a top portion 82 having depending therefrom end84 and side 86 wall portions with the side wall portions 86 beingdisposed in a manner which converge toward the top portion d2 so thatthe side wall portions 86 are inclined away from each other as theyextend from the top portion 32. The end 84 and side 86 wall portions ofthe shell 86 terminate in an annular enlarged end portion 88 to definean open end 9%) for the shell 80. The end portion 88 is provided with aplurality of spaced apart internally threaded recesses 92, for a purposeto be more fully disclosed and described hereinafter. inwardlyprojecting, elongated supporting-spacer ribs 94 are disposed along theinner surface of the side wall portions 86 of the shell 80. The topportion 82 of the shell 8% is provided with a neck portion 96 whichdefines an opening 98 through the top portion 82 of the shell 8& and towhich the first conduit 34 may be connected so that the skimmed andfiltered water 12 may pass through the opening 98 and then flow throughthe first conduit 34 to the intake side of the pump device 3%) duringthe filtering-skimming-vacuuming operation of the system 10.

A ,filter medium support me which is of substantially the sameconfiguration as the shell is received within the confines thereof andsupported in spaced relationship thereto by reason of the ribs 94. Thefilter medium support 100 includes a top portion 102, end wall portions104 and side wall portions 106 which depend from the top portion 102with the side wall portions 106 diverging relative to each other. In thepreferred embodiment of the invention the top portion 102 and the sidewall portions 1% of the filter medium support 100 are constructed fromsuitable mesh screen such as a non-corrosive metal or plastic clothwhile the end Wall portions 104 thereof are solid. Since the filtersupport 190 is supported in engagement with the ribs 94 which projectinwardly from the shell 80 there is defined between the filter mediumsupport 1% and the shell 86 a space through which the water 12 passes inits travel from the swimming pool 14 to the first conduit 34.

If desired or necessary other additional filter medium supportingstructures of suitable mesh screen may be employed, if necessary, and itis to be understood that the size of the mesh screen may vary accordingto the requirements or needs of a particular installation or system inwhich the skimmer-filter-vacuum apparatus 18 is employed. It is believedthat the disclosure and description of a single filter medium support 1%will suffice for the purpose of describing and disclosing the featuresthere of in this invention.

A sheet of filter medium 119, preferably of paper, having asubstantially rectangular configuration, is placed in direct contactwith the inner surface of the filter medium support 1th and extendsentirely over the full area of the filter medium support 1% which isdefined by the mesh screen top portion 102 and the mesh screen side wallportion 1% thereof.

In order for the filter medium 119 to be removably retained within theconfines of the shell 80 in spaced relationship relative thereto byreason of the ribs 94, with the filter medium lit) covering the mesh.screen top 1&2 and side Wall 1% portions of the filter medium support1%, a resilient cage-like member 112, as illustrated in FIG. 6 of thedrawing, is provided, which is disposed on the inner side of the filtermedium 110 and constantly exerts a pressure force thereagainst to retainthe filter medium 116 positioned against the filter medium support 1%.

The resilient cage-like member 112 which may be formed of any suitableanticorrosive metal, or plastic material, or the like, and includes aplurality of spaced apart inverted U-shaped members 114 each having abite portion lid which extends into depending leg portions II8I13 thatare disposed in diverging relationship relative to each other andterminate in end portions 129. Longitudinally extending elongatedsubstantially straight members 122 are connected to the adjacent endportions 12% of the leg portions 318 and a longitudinally extendingelongated substantially traight member 124- connects the adjacent biteportions 116 of the U-shaped member 114 together.

It should be noted that the members 122 together with the leg portions118 and bite I16 portions form a continuous bearing-supporting surfacewhich engages the filter medium 1.1% along the peripheral edge portionIf desired additional Ushaped members 114 may be pro-- vidcd forexerting a bearing-supporting surface for intermediate areas of thefiltcr'medium Elli. The leg portions 118 correspond substantially inconfiguration to the inverted U-shape of the shell 8% and the filtermedium support Mitt but in actual practicethe leg portions 113 normallydiverge to a greater degree than the shell 3%; and the filter mediumsupport 1% in order to create the pressure force, as indicated by thearrows in FIG. 3 of the drawing, which enables the filter media lit tobe retained within the confines or" the shell 8i) during the operationalstep of filtering the water 12 either alone or in combination with theoperational steps of vacuuming and skimming the water 12.

In the operational position, the members 122 of the filter support Hillrest against an abutment 123 which protects inwardly from adjacent theenlarged end portion 88 of the shell 8% with the filter medium Hi andfilter medium support 1% also being interposed between the members 122and the inner surface of the shell a'ilto assure that there will be norelative movement therebetween during the operation of the filteringunit 24.

In order that the filter medium 116 may be easily and quickly removedand replaced between the cage-like member 112 and the filter mediumsupport 1% there is provided a handle which in the preferred embodimentofrthe invention is in the form of an L-shaped projection 126 on each ofthe members 124 which extend generally inwardly toward each other andthen outwardly away from the bite portions 116 of the cage-like member112 and terminate beyond the confines thereof whereat the projections12612 6 are easily accessible to an operators fingers so that theprojections 126 may be readily grasped and urged toward each other in amanner which will cause the leg portions 118 and the members 122 toremoved from within the confines of the shell 81) since the size of thebite portion 116 of the cage-like member 112 is smaller than the openend 99 of the shell 80.-

With the cage-like member 11.2 removed, as described and disclosedabove, the used paper filter medium 114) 'may then be removed andreplaced.

The vacuum unit 28 of the filter-vacuum device includes ascrubbing-block or head 136 having an endless annular flange portion 132which defines an opening 134 therethrough of a size substantially equalto the open end of the shell 86 and larger in area than the area of thebite portion 116 of the cage-like member 112 so that the cage-likemember 112 may be passed there-,

through The flange portion 132, of the block 13% is of greater widththan the enlarged end portion 88 of the shell 8% and is ofis'et upwardlyand extends generally inwardly therefrom relative to the inner surfaceof the secure the-head 136 of the vacuum unit728 to the'shell 80 ofthe'filter unit 24.

that is away from the opening 913 in the neck'portionfio of the shell80.

. 8 able structure 142, such as an internally threaded opening-thereinor therlilze, for receiving an elongated rod-like actuator 1441, asshown by phantom lines in FIG, 5 of the drawing, which enables thefilter-vacuum device '25, on removal thereof from the housing 38 of theskimmer unit 22, to be actuated in a desired manner along the bottom orside walls of the swimming pool 14 With the bristles 138 in contacttherewith to remove and vacuum undesirable particles therefromu lnrtnevacuuming operation, a part of the water 12 V in the swimming pool 14-will be employed as the conmove inwardly toward each other free of theabutment 128, as shown by phantom lines in FIG. 3 of the drawing,which'enables the entire cage-like support 100 to be The vacuum unit '28further includes abracket 14-5 7 which is secured'to 'gillfi exterior orouter surface {of the I shell 86in close proximity and adjacent to theneck por ltion fio'thereon. The bracket l ltl is provided with -suitveying agent for moving the undesirable particles from the swimming poolld into the filtering zone at the filter unit 24 and then through theopening 134, the opening 98, the first conduit 34, the pump device 30,the second conduit 36 and then returned to the swimming pool 14 so taatit is not-necessary to remove the water 12 from the swimming pool 14-which enables the swimming pool 14 to be vacuumed while being maintainedin a substantially water-filled condition. 7

From the above disclosures and description, it is believed that thisinvention provides a filtering system and apparatus for swimming poolswhich is economical to manufacture; inexpensive to install, maintain andoperate;

compact and easily installed either asa portable or permanentinstallation, and is simple, durable, reliable, practical, efifectiveand efiicientin operation.

While the invention has been described in terms of the preferredembodiment and onemodification thereof which it has assumed in practice,the scope of the invention should not be deemed to be limited by theprecise embodiment and singlemodifications herein shown, illustrated,disclosed and described, such other embodiments and modifications beingintended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scopeof theclaimshere appended.

I claim as my invention: i

1. A system for skimming and filtering a liquid, said systemcom-prising, in combination, r a

"a skimmer use disposed Within a container'wherein such liquid isconfined,

said skimmer unit having a housing defining a receptacle,

said housing having an opening therein whereat there isdisposed/structure defining a skimming edge,

a filter unit having a shell separably supported by the receptacle ofthe skimmer unit and removable there- :from through a second opening insaid housing, said shell having opposed open end portions one of whichis disposed below the skimming edge with another open end portion beingdisposed thereabove, a filter medium support disposed within said'shellintermediate the open end portionsthereof, a filter medium supported bysaid filter medium support, a t I r V a resilient member for removably mintaining the filter medium in contact with the filter medium support,

. a pump device, and

vice in' communication With'the open end portion of the shell that isabove the skimming edge and placin th discharge side of the pumpdevice'in comvmunicationwith suohl-iquid.- '2. Thesystemas set forthinclaim 1 wherein the'openin'g in the housing is located in a sideporition' thereof, and a g the'second opening is located in a topportion of the ho'using w 1 V r a g 3. T he system as set forthinclaim-l wherein saidjstructure which defines the skimming edgecomprises a'bodily flexible gate within the opening ,of thehousingg'tand" i 1 means for enabling the bodily flexible gate to'beselfa adjusted to position @the skimming edge" for varying liquidlevels.r r

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein prises v,

a bodily flexible gate structure disposed within the opening of saidhousing for effecting a high ve- 'locity of current flow on thesurfaceof such liquid, I said gate structure having a plurality ofclosed conrpart-ments which enables the gate structure to beself-adjusting to varying liquid levels of such liquid. 5. The system asset forth in claimil wherein the resilient membermaint-ains'the filtermediumin contact with the filter medium support throughout substantiallythe full extent thereof. 6. The system as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid shell and filter n iedium support are of substan- '7 The system asset forth in claim 1 wherein said container is a swimming pool.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Gwynn 2l0489 XErnig 2l0-538 Ernzer 2110-'169 X Everson 2l0--169 X White u 2=10, 5;38Wiley 210-460 Pace 210169 Cavenah et al 210169 X Nash 210- 169 Lombardi210-169 X Banbara 210-1'69 Birdsall 210 169 X FOREIGN PATENTS Germany.

, RUEBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

HERBERT L. MARTIN, Examiner.

1. A SYSTEM FOR SKIMMING AND FILTERING A LIQUID, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING,IN COMBINATION, A SKIMMER UNIT DISPOSED WITHIN A CONTAINER WHEREIN SUCHLIQUID IS CONFINED, SAID SKIMMER UNIT HAVING A HOUSING DEFINING ARECEPTACLE, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN WHEREAT THERE ISDISPOSED STRUCTURE DEFINING A SKIMMING EDGE, A FILTER UNIT HAVING ASHELL SEPARABLY SUPPORTED BY THE RECEPTACLE OF THE SKIMMER UNIT ANDREMOVABLE THEREFROM THROUGH A SECOND OPENING IN SAID HOUSING, SAID SHELLHAVING OPPOSED OPEN END PORTION ONE OF WHICH IS DISPOSED BELOW THESKIMMING EDGE WITH ANOTHER OPEN END PORTION BEING DISPOSED THEREABOVE, AFILTER MEDIUM SUPPORT DISPOSED WITHIN SAID SHELL INTERMEDIATE THE OPENEND PORTIONS THEREOF, A FILTER MEDIUM SUPPORTED BY SAID FILTER MEDIUMSUPPORT, A RESILIENT MEMBER FOR REMOVABLY MAINTAINING THE FILTER MEDIUMIN CONTACT WITH THE FILTER MEDIUM SUPPORT, A PUMP DEVICE, AND CONDUITMEANS PLACING THE INTAKE SIDE OF THE PUMP DEVIDE IN COMMUNICATION WITHTHE OPEN END PORTION OF THE SHELL THAT IS ABOVE THE SKIMMING EDGE ANDPLACIN THE DISCHARGE SIDE OF THE PUMP DEVICE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SUCHLIQUID.